A Change of Heart
by sohma-kitty-10-14
Summary: This is a revamped version of What Lurks Behind my Hatred. If you liked the original, try this one. If you hated it...this one is much better. I promise. YukixKyo. If it's not too much trouble, please, leave me a review. One itty bitty review will do.
1. Notes and Prologue

Irrasshaimase. Welcome to the revamped edition of What Lurks Behind My Hatred. You may have noticed the title change (well, hopefully you noticed, anyway). This story is undergoing major revisions, and I'm proud to say that some harsh criticism has inspired me to do much better. I have grown in unimaginable ways since I started - and, actually, finished - _Hatred_. Now that I have learned from my mistakes, I would like to correct them, and share a bit of it with you. I hope that this version pleases you more than the original - _Hatred_ will always hold a special place in my heart, but I know I can do better than that.

This story is dedicated to fans of the original, who I hope will enjoy this piece just as much, if not more so, than _Hatred_. But it is especially dedicated to a very honest reviewer: Citalaseshin, thank you very much for your input. I'm so grateful for everything you said to me. At first, I was hurt; then, I realized that you were right. If you ever happen to stumble upon this story, I hope you have the patience to try it again. You never know; perhaps this time around, I will have written something worthwhile. :)

If you are so inclined, please leave me a review and tell me how I am doing so far. Constructive criticism is appreciated - I would love to know what else I can fix. :)

Thank you very much, and enjoy the ride.

-Kat-

* * *

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and all related characters, concepts, etc. are property of Takaya Natsuki and Tokyopop. I just borrow the characters for my own twisted fantasies. Only the plotline of the ensuing fanfiction is mine. No copyright infringement is intended in the following story.

* * *

Kyo sat on the roof, deep in thought about the day's events. Once again, Yuki had completely kicked his ass into the following week - although, Kyo thought with a mental smirk, the rat's fighting patterns had grown much clearer, and after much studying, Kyo's ability to one-up his arch rival was steadily increasing. One day - _soon_ - the rat boy would fall.

_Hard_.

Now that he was in one of his moods - borderline philosophical, one might say - he began to contemplate certain things in his life. There were thoughts of Tohru - oh, how he adored his darling Tohru. He would give up everything for the girl - no, he corrected himself, _woman_. His beloved Tohru was now a beautiful young woman, just as full of life as ever she had been. It was love.

_But not -that- kind of love_.

No, Kyo knew the truth - he loved Tohru with all his heart, but he was not _in love_ with her. There was, after all, a very fine line, but Kyo had yet to cross it. She was too important to him; he could never lead her on like that; no matter how much he _wanted_ to love her...he could not. No, Tohru was...like a sister. Perhaps he had been in love with her once, but no more.

It was a wonderful feeling to have a close friend like Tohru. She understood everything Kyo wanted to say, even when he didn't know _how_ to say it. She also seemed to have the uncanny ability to discover truths his subconscious had tried desperately to hide away. Imagine his surprise when she asked him one day,

"Kyo, I don't know how to say this...are you gay?" Her trademark blush increasing tenfold, she shied away when Kyo brushed her off.

Then, thoughts began to occur to him - thoughts which he realized were not entirely unwanted.

How exactly would it feel to kiss a boy? Hug one? Hold hands, be in a relationship? ...have _sex?!_ The more Kyo tried to ignore these thoughts, the more persitent they became, until he came out of the closet (rather violently) by screaming his sexuality in front of Tohru in a moment of frustration. She simply patted his arm and whispered, "I know," before carrying on with her laundry.

So, the neko was gay. This was interesting, yes, but his social life didn't seem to suffer for it (actually, more girls than ever before drooled at the sight of him). Yet there was a pressing issue at hand. Kyo shared the house with Tohru, Shigure, and a very, _very_ attractive young man...

With a start, Kyo realized the dangerous territory his mind had wandered into, but it was too late - there was no turning back now. With a deep sigh, Kyo braced himself against the truth:

He lusted after Yuki.


	2. Musings

Wow, really? Not even one little itty bitty review? You peeps make me so emo. -sob- ...only joking. :P

Well, here's the second chapter, you naughty little strudels. I hope you're enjoying it so far. :3

* * *

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and all related characters, concepts, etc. are property of Takaya Natsuki and Tokyopop. I just borrow the characters for my own twisted fantasies. Only the plotline of the ensuing fanfiction is mine. No copyright infringement is intended in the following story.

* * *

Yuki Sohma liked to think of himself as intelligent. Perhaps not a genius, but he possessed a considerable amount of knowledge in that head of his. So it came as a frustration to him when he could not figure something out - _Kyo's behavior_. The cat was beyond strange in recent days. Normally, the two fought at least once a day - and the cat started it. Now, they seemed to fight less and less...and only when Yuki pushed hard enough did Kyo react.

What disturbed him more, though, was the fact that he _cared_. He actually gave a rip about the cat's sudden behavior change. Did he miss beating the stupid cat up _that much?_

...No, that wasn't it.

Perhaps it was because he just didn't like change, then?

...That argument would have sated Yuki's hunger for answers, if there wasn't one small flaw in his logic: Yuki had been adjusting quite well to change as of late. So what made the cat _different?_ Not knowing positively infuriated the rat.

Could it be that, maybe, he really _did_ care?

Yuki actually chuckled aloud at the thought, forgetting for a moment that he was in the middle of class. The teacher looked at him for a moment, but said nothing. His fangirls only stared in wonderous amazement at the god of the Sohma family.

_What a stupid thought,_ Yuki mused to himelf. _A stupid thought about an even stupider cat..._


	3. Crossing the Line

Peeps, come on! I'm so depressed that I'm not getting any feedback from you. It's painful. Is my writing really not good enough for you to review? :( Please, tell me what you think needs fixing, and I'll try my best to improve it. Just please, don't leave me in the dark.

lolli.pop9: Thank you for your feedback. So far you've been my only reviewer. I'm glad you're enjoying it thus far, and I hope to continue hearing from you. Thank you again. :3

* * *

"Oi, rat, wipe that fucking smirk off your face before I punch it off."

"Piss off, cat."

"Fuck you!!"

Tohru sighed to herself, watching the boys fight from her place on the front porch of Shigure's house. Weeks of thick, almost palpable tension, had finally come to a head. After not fighting for so long, Kyo seemed afire with rage; but when she squinted (so to speak), Tohru found a trace of nervous reluctance in Kyo's attitude. Worried that Yuki might provoke the cat too much, she kept careful watch over the two.

"Tohru-kun, lovey, what are the boys fighting about now?" Shigure poked his head out from behind the doorway with his signature carefree smile. "Oh, good, they're outside this time. I've lost track of how many times I've had to replace this paneling..."

"I don't know, Shigure-san," Tohru said softly, her teeth worrying a sore onto her lower lip. "I hope they don't wind up hurt too badly, though."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that this was 'Fuck Yuki Souma' day!" Yuki screamed, his frustration past the tipping point. "Why don't you do everyone a favor and go die in the cage, you stupid fag!!"

Instantly, the air was still. Birds ceased their chirping; the wind stopped his blowing; and even the trees no longer whispered through their rustling leaves. Tohru's eyes widened and filled with tears; her face erupted into a violent flush; and she let out a choked sob.

"Oh, Kyo," she cried, mostly to herself. Even Yuki looked shocked at himself, his hand covering his mouth as if to stop the poisonous flow of his words. But the damage was done.

Kyo had yet to respond with words, though his body language told all present of his utter despondency. The cat felt his heart split into millions of pieces. There was no doubting it now; clearly, the object of his affection would not reciprocate.

"Oh, Kyo, I..." Yuki started. Kyo looked at him through melancholy orange eyes, which in his sorrow faded to dull brown. _What's this?_ Yuki wondered to himself. _Tears?_ And indeed, rivers poured down Kyo's cheeks unceasingly.

"Fag, am I?" he said, so softly that Yuki strained to hear him. "I don't think you have any clue, Yuki."

"About wha -?" Yuki began to speak, but before he could even blink, the cat strode over to him, cupped his cheeks, and kissed him gently on the lips. The cat-cursed vaguely thought he heard Tohru's quiet squeak in the distance, but thought nothing of it; he thought only of the warm body in front of his own, and of soft, pink lips that yielded beneath his kiss.

By this time, Yuki had enough reason to be thoroughly shocked. His mind screamed at him to _"Fucking get that god-damned furball off of yourself!!" _But his body would not obey. In fact, when Kyo's tongue gently lapped at his bottom lip, he could only comply by opening his mouth, too weak in the knees to protest. He was only slightly embarassed at the noises he made; he was enjoying this kiss _far_ too much.

Kyo thanked whichever gods were listening for this opportunity, and sucked lightly on Yuki's bottom lip; Yuki arched into Kyo's body and broke away for air. The boys stood there, panting heavily, until the fog around Yuki's senses lifted. And when Kyo tentatively moved closer again...

Yuki reached up and slapped him across the face. _Hard_. So hard, in fact, that Kyo fell backwards onto the ground. Mortified, Yuki ran into the house, pushing past Shigure and slamming the door to his bedroom. Tohru looked back at Kyo with pitying eyes and walked to where he lay, holding his cheek in pain. He didn't need to look up to know she was right beside him, but he did anyway. When he saw her understanding, empathetic gaze, tears filled his eyes again and trickled down his cheeks, stinging his wound.

"Tohru-kun," he whispered, unable to say anything else. Tohru knew this, and she knelt beside him, hugging him tightly. After the initial _POOF _occured and the burst of smoke cleared, she picked up the now-sobbing cat and cradled him in her warm, loving arms.

"I'm here, Kyo, I'm here. Let it out," she whispered, stroking his fur tenderly and scratching behind his ears to soothe him. She did not, however, utter false promises of _"It will be alright"_; because, in fact, she didn't know if anything would ever be right again. But she did know that her family had changed forever. Whether it was for the better or worse, had yet to be seen.

* * *

Yuki paced in his room, drunk with rage and confusion. He didn't know who to blame for the situation - Kyo, or himself. All he knew was that things would never be the same again, and it frustrated him. He usually didn't mind change; but this was definitely one change that he hated, if there ever was one.

Frustrated, he let out a shout of helplessness and flopped onto his futon. Never in his life had he been so...utterly _torn_. Didn't he like girls?!

...

...

Yuki let out a sigh. _Yes. And no_. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Yuki had long ago discovered that he found certain men rather attractive. It was a fact of life, really. Some men were just downright _gorgeous_, and Yuki didn't really mind admitting that to himself. But _Kyo_, of all the people -!

The rat-cursed felt his head begin to ache, and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before moving to massage his temples. What the hell was the cat thinking?! Yuki didn't care that Kyo was gay - he hated him no more (nor less) than he had before, and didn't see it as a reason for anything to change between them. But _this_ - unconsciously, Yuki's fingers reached up to touch his still kiss-swollen lips - changed _everything_ between them. Yuki felt he could no longer even be in the same room as the cat; the tension was too thick, the air full of too many unanswered questions.

His headache becoming unbearable now, Yuki shut his blinds, closed the bedroom door, crawled back onto his futon, and fell into a restless sleep.


	4. Arguments

-gaspeth- Reviews are increasing! Not by much, but I have three so far. :3 Thank you, loveys. I'd love to see more.

You know who's really good looking? Stuart Townsend. Especially as Lestat. Ooo yes, loveys, I'd hit that like a pinata. :3

* * *

Kyo could not sleep. He tossed and turned desperately on his futon, willing his distraught brain to shut down for the evening; unfortunately, his bastard of a subconscious mind would not obey. Snarling in frustration, he gave his pillow a half-hearted whack, which it absorbed quite easily; he shifted onto his back and looked out the window at the slivered moon.

_Strange,_ he thought, _I have yet to even think about -_

_..._

_Fuck_. His train of thought now solely focused on the rat, he sighed and shut his eyes, praying to whichever god listened to him now for a wink of sleep.

...

"Fuck this," he muttered, kicking his blanket off the futon. He pulled on a shirt and a pair of hilariously mismatched socks (he didn't give a rip about this), and tiptoed quitely out of his room. Retrieving his sneakers from their place near the front door, he silently opened and shut said door, slipped into the shoes without tying them, and clambered his way to the rooftop.

The sneaker on his right foot slipped off and fell onto the soft earth beneath him, but Kyo didn't look back; he made a mental reminder to pick it up on the way back into the house.

He crawled to his spot on the roof, and there he sat in stillness, his eyes shifting between twinkling stars. In his peripheral vision he saw a bit of red; looking towards it, he found a glowing planet.

"Hmph. Must be Mercury," he mused aloud.

"It's Mars, baka neko." The unexpected sound of another's voice caused Kyo to nearly jump forth from his skin, and he bristled.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" he hissed, looking warily over the edge of the roof. Two grey-violet orbs greeted his own burnt orange ones, and he sighed.

"Rat," he muttered in acknowledgement. Yuki stared for a moment before reaching up.

"Help me up?" It was more of an order than a request, and Kyo knew it, but didn't feel like playing along.

"Why should I?" he growled. Yuki sent him the glare of death and inhaled slowly.

"...Please?" he snarled through gritted teeth. Kyo grudgingly complied, and soon the rat-cursed sat at his side.

Then, there was that tension that Yuki so feared. His mind buzzed with questions and accusations, wanting to blame the cat for everything he could think of. But he said nothing, waiting instead to see how Kyo would start their little game.

Finally, Kyo could stand it no longer, and he cleared his throat. "So, um...you, er, couldn't sleep either?"

Yuki shook his head. "Afraid not. Too many things on my mind right now." He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw the cat turn slightly pinkish in his cheeks and ears.

"Yeah, um...school's a bitch," he said lamely, internally cringing at how pathetic he really sounded. Yuki snorted.

"You know what I mean, idiot," he said, his tone half-accusing and half-amused at the cat's antics. Kyo didn't meet his challenging gaze.

"No, Yuki, I'm really not sure what you mean. Do enlighten me, o wise one," he snapped.

"Dammit Kyo, you just _had_ to go kiss me, and now everything's fucked between us!"

"As if things weren't already that way!" Kyo buried his face in his hands for a moment and nearly pulled out his own hair in frustration. "Just...don't talk about it, okay? If you're not going to reciprocate - which _clearly_, you're not - then the least you can do is leave me with some semblance of peace, you jerk."

"Did you really expect me to have feelings for you?" Yuki was almost shouting now. "People don't change that quickly, Kyo! That's a stupid and unrealistic thing to assume of others! It's not my fault if I'm not gay. And it's not my fault that you chose to kiss me."

Kyo's expression softened, and then grew despondent. "I know," he said softly. "I just...part of me wants you so bad, it's willing to do anything to have you. And then you kissed me back, and I thought..." He trailed off for a moment, but then his face grew hard again, and he laid back onto the roof again, looking away from the other boy. "Just go, Yuki. I'm done talking."

Now, Yuki would not have this. He was beyond frustrated with the cat, and he was absolutely pissed off that the cat didn't want to clear things up. To put it bluntly, Kyo was in for a serious wake-up call.

_How **dare** he leave things like this between us!!_ Yuki was enraged. _I'll show him, I'll..._

He reached out and shoved the cat from his side over onto his back, pinning him down and preparing to punch the living daylights out of him. And then he saw the cat's eyes.

Kyo had been _crying_. _Again_. Tears had welled in his burnt orange orbs, and anguish distorted his features into a twisted look of incredible suffering. Yuki almost couldn't take it.

_No. Don't cry. Not for me. I won't let you be upset for what I may have said or done to hurt you._

And with these thoughts in mind, Yuki leaned down, closed his eyes, and placed a soft, chaste kiss on Kyo's lips.


	5. Sickness and Health

Been a while, ne? Sorry about that, everyone, I've had some terrible writer's block. It sucks. :(

But, thankies toeveryone for the lovely reviews! You all get...-digs around in her plushie stash- Lestat plushies. Because Lestat is le smex. :3 Heh, it's funny because I said 'le smex'...you know, like his name? Whatever then.

* * *

Kyo's eyes widened for a moment, and then they narrowed in fury. After a moment of this unresponsive behavior, Yuki came back to reality and pulled away, his face bright pink.

"I...felt a little bad, making you cry and all -,"

"How dare you!" Kyo yelled, pushing Yuki further away. "You think I want your pity? Fuck you! Anything's better than that, you insensitive - ugh, don't even talk to me for the rest of the night."

Yuki frowned at him. "Kyo, I -"

"Shut up!" Kyo hopped off the roof and went back into the house, fuming so much that steam nearly blew out of his ears. He was _beyond_ pissed. "I don't need you, you fucking - _dammit!_" His curses faded away, leaving Yuki in an unbearably awkward silence.

"Hmph. Excuse me for giving you a pity kiss, you jerk," Yuki mumbled, knowing full well that the cat couldn't hear him. "God, he's so insufferable..." _I can't wait until graduation_, he thought to himself.

_..._

_Man, that was harsh. _Yuki sighed, slightly disturbed at his own cruel thoughts. Sure, he disliked the cat; but did his hatred run so deep that he really wished for Kyo's foul, undeserved demise?

_..._

It disturbed him even more that he had to think about the answer. He placed his head on his knees and looked out over his garden, watching the moon cast dark shadows on the strawberry leaves.

* * *

"Kyo-kun, time to wake up," Tohru called softly. Kyo lifted his head from his pillow and walked to the door separating his room from the hallway. Opening it, he gave Tohru a tired smile.

"Good morning, Tohru-kun," he whispered. She smiled back at him and kissed his cheek in greeting, blushing softly when she received a soft peck in return. It warmed her heart to know the depth of Kyo's love for her, however platonic it was.

"I made eggs and rice for breakfast. Your bowl is on the table, and I poured you a glass of milk as well," she said brightly. He grinned happily at her.

"Arigatou, Tohru-kun," he said gratefully. She only nodded at him and moved down the hallway to Yuki's bedroom, allowing Kyo to walk down the hallway towards the smell of delicious food. Shigure sat at the table, reading his newspaper.

"Ah, Kyo-kun, ohayou," he said, grinning. Kyo sat beside him and sighed.

"Ohayou, Shigure." He bowed his head slightly and said a quiet _itadakimasu _before beginning his meal. After a moment of silence, Shigure looked up in confusion.

"Eh, Kyo-kun, isn't Yuki-kun usually up by now?" he said uncertainly. Kyo raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He'd actually been wondering the same thing.

"Kyo-kun, Shigure-san, Yuki-kun isn't in his bedroom," Tohru called. She appeared a moment later, worry creasing her brow. "Did he have a student council meeting this morning?"

"I don't believe so," Shigure said, concern edging its way into his features as well. "I'm sure he's here somewhere. Perhaps he's in the restroom. Kyo-kun, please go assist our dear flower in finding Yuki."

Kyo grunted his displeasure through a mouthful of egg, but swallowed and stood anyway.

"I'll check the back of the house, Tohru-kun," he said. He gave her a discreet, reassuring smile. "Shinpai shinai, Tohru-kun. He's here somewhere." She nodded silently and went to the front of the house. Kyo looked into the bathroom.

"Oi, rat, you here?" he called. No sound. He sighed and turned off the light, heading further towards the back of the house.

"Hey, rat, this isn't funny. Get out of your damn hiding spot, Tohru's worried sick." When he still received no response, he growled and opened the shoji at the rear of the house.

"You out here, rat?!" he yelled. He saw something drop to the ground out of the corner of his eye, and he jerked his head around. "Yuki, was that you?" He walked over, looking on the ground for whatever had fallen. A small, quiet clicking reached his ears, and he looked down, nearly jumping in shock.

"Merciful Goddess!" he yelled. On the ground lay the shaking nezumi, whose teeth chattered so hard that it seemed nearly painful. Kyo scooped him up and ran into the house. "Tohru-kun, I found him! We need to get him warmed up _now!_"

Tohru came running and gasped. "Dear heavens, what on earth happened to Yuki-kun?"

"I'm not sure," Kyo panted, equally amazed himself. He followed Tohru into the kitchen, where she grabbed a small bowl and filled it halfway with warm water; Kyo gently lowered the rat into the makeshift tub, being extra careful under Tohru's watchful gaze.

"Oh dearie me," Shigure sighed, gazing with slight amusement at their current predicament. "One of you will have to watch him."

"Why the hell can't you do it, you damn lazy mutt?" Kyo snapped. Shigure grinned.

"I've got an editor to torture, my dearest neko," he chuckled. Kyo sighed; this damn rat had to make everything miserable, didn't he? "Yuki-kun's breathing is going to be horrible for days," Shigure continued.

"He'll have to stay in bed, then," Tohru concluded. Kyo nodded and looked at her seriously.

"You need to get to school, Tohru-kun. I'll stay here and watch the damn rat." As if on cue, Tohru reacted immediately.

"No, Kyo-kun, you need your education just as much as I do! I'll stay home with Yuki-kun, it's alright," she tried reassuringly. He sighed forlornly and looked at her, his gaze beautiful and painful.

"Tohru-kun...you know full well that my future holds no use for such things," he whispered. Tohru's face paled, and her tears threatened to spill.

"Oh, Kyo-kun," she began, and in that moment, Kyo felt an overwhelming urge to embrace her, more intense than any feeling he'd ever experienced. Instead, he placed a gentle but firm finger to her lips, and she gave in.

"Okay then, Kyo, have it your way." She stood on her toes and gave him another soft kiss on the cheek. "Just remember...don't do anything, well...silly." He knew she really meant _stupid_, but he knew she wouldn't say it. Indeed, she grabbed her school bag and left the house without another word. Shigure looked at Kyo with a devious smirk.

"What the hell is your problem? Why are you looking at me like that?" Kyo growled, his hackles rising. Shigure only snickered.

"You may want to get our dear nezumi some clothes."

"What -?" Kyo whirled around, and to his horror, he found Yuki on the floor. Unconscious. And very naked. He blushed and stuttered.

"Oh, go fuck with your editor already, why don'tcha?" he yelled, picking up the lighter boy. Shigure smiled and headed for the front door; then, remembering something, he turned one last time.

"His asthma medication is in the medicine cabinet. There should also be some cough syrup and ibuprofen, if you need it. Don't touch any of the other medications, though," he warned.

"What are they?" Kyo asked, a little disturbed. Shigure grinned.

"There's an assortment of happy pills in there that could knock you on your ass. And we don't want that, now, do we?" he laughed, leaving the house and shutting the front door behind him. Kyo looked down at Yuki, a mixture of fondness and aggravation tugging at his psyche. Oh, but this would be a _very _long day.

* * *

Some Japanese vocabulary you may (or may not) know:

Arigatou - Thank you

Ohayou - Good morning (informal)

Shinpai shinai - Don't worry

~kun - suffix for names. Usually used for boys, but can be used among close friends as well. Takaya Natsuki-san has the _Furuba_ characters refer to Tohru as 'Tohru-kun', so I kept this usage.

Nezumi - rat, mouse

Neko - cat

Culture Note: Kyo exclaims 'Merciful Goddess!' when he finds Yuki. This is a reference to Kanzeon Bosatsu (also known as Kannon in Japanese). She is the Buddhist goddess of mercy, or a _bodhisattva_. (She is also a hermaphrodite in some situations, so 'she' is not always a 'she'.) Buddhism and Shinto are the two prominent religions in Japan, so I figured the reference was someone accurate as far as Japanese culture is concerned.

Then again, I've been rereading _Saiyuuki_ by Minekura Kazuya, and Kannon-sama is the one of the most amusing deities I've ever read about in a manga. So, that's my little tidbit about that. :D

Thank you so much for reading. See you again!

~伽守鈴ちゃん~


	6. Caring and Inarizushi

I'm on a roll lately. I don't know why, but the plot bunnies have hit me upside the head harder than a sack of bricks. Enjoy, lovelies.

* * *

The sound of a jarring, hacking cough jolted Kyo from his light doze. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the source of the noise in slight annoyance, with a tinge of concern hiding beneath. Yuki lay on his side, semi-concious and hacking up what sounded like a piece of his lung, and each breath seemed to exacerbate it. Kyo stood up from his chair and walked to the edge of the bed, pulling the sickened boy up into a sitting position and lightly patting his back. When the coughing finally began to subside, the pats turned to soothing rubs across shoulder blades, and the boy in his arms slumped over weakly.

"Come on, rat, I have to get you your inhaler," Kyo said, pushing Yuki back up in such a way that he would not collapse again. He stood and reached for the inhaler on the bedside table, pausing to turn on the small lamp for extra light. He read the label under his breath, squinting to make out the fine print. "Emergency inhaler, two to three inhales of medication to open airways. If there is little or no improvement in breathing, call for an ambulance...yeah, yeah," he mumbled. He returned to Yuki's side and held the inhaler to his lips. "Okay, rat, breathe out as much as you can."

Yuki let out a shallow breath, and when Kyo pressed the medication into the inhaler, he drew an equally shallow breath in. The mucus rattled in his chest, causing a loud and uncomfortable wheeze. The two repeated this process twice before Kyo leaned him back against the pillows again, seting the inhaler down with a sigh.

"You're sick as hell, aren't ya?" he said quietly. Yuki, still slightly delirious, looked at him in confusion. Kyo stared at him. "What?"

"Your hair is shiny," he said hoarsely, before laughing like he'd just seen the funniest damn thing on earth. He proceeded to begin another coughing fit, and Kyo sat him up straight as before.

"Dammit, rat, don't do this to me!" he cried, panicking momentarily before regaining his composure. He moved his hand gently up and down Yuki's back, attempting in vain to calm the debilitating cough wracking the smaller boy's frame. Yuki only coughed harder, and a trail of dark, thick liquid dripped from the corner of his lips; the acrid, metallic stench of blood and illness permeated the air. Kyo let out a gasp of fear - and slight disgust - and ran to grab a telephone.

* * *

"Acute bronchitis," Hatori stated blandly, holding an oxygen mask gently over Yuki's face. "He hasn't had this for years. Usually he only needs a slight adjustment in asthma medication to control his breathing. How long has he had this?" he asked Kyo, who hesitated.

"He...sort of fell asleep outside last night. When I - erm, _we _- found him this morning, he had already transformed into the rat..." Hatori made a noise that sounded uncharacteristically like a snort.

"Well, I would hope so. Had he not transformed, he probably would have died." He removed the mask and gave Kyo a bottle of pills. "His body needs rest; he'll probably sleep through the day, if not longer. Every three hours, give him two of these pills. Hopefully, his condition will improve over the next week."

"And if it doesn't?" Kyo asked, a little too quickly. Hatori gave him an unreadable, but nonetheless odd, stare. When he responded, he did so slowly.

"...then I will have no choice but to move him to the main house, so I may monitor his condition more thoroughly." Hatori didn't fail to notice the tension in Kyo's muscles as he spoke.

"...Very well. Let's hope that it doesn't reach that point," he mumbled. Hatori raised an eyebrow, but said nothing on the subject. He stood and started to leave, but turned his head to look over his shoulder warily.

"Kyo," he said softly. "Be careful. Don't ever make me do something I might regret." He turned again and left without any semblance of an explanation, leaving Kyo shocked and slightly impressed. Perhaps the dragon knew more than he let on...

* * *

"Kyo-kun, tadaima!" Tohru called out several hours later, trading her tennis shoes for her house slippers. She left her school bag in her room, and then made her way down the hall to Yuki's room, knocking quietly on the door. "Kyo-kun? Are you there?" she whispered, opening the door slowly. She looked in and sighed, a smile tugging at her lips.

Kyo sat in a chair beside Yuki's bed, fast asleep, with his head near Yuki's arm. Yuki was still unconscious, his face paler than was healthy for him. His hand clutched Kyo's tightly, even in sleep. Tohru sighed and retrieved a spare blanket from the hall closet, returning to drape it across Kyo's shoulders. She kissed his cheek gently, and then Yuki's forehead, brushing a strand of silver hair from his eyes.

"Oyasumi," she whispered, leaving the boys to rest in tranquility. She closed the door gently so she wouldn't disturb them, and made her way to the kitchen just in time to greet Shigure.

"Okaeri nasai, Shigure-san!" she said in a lowered voice. He grinned at her and opened his mouth as if to shout, but shut it quickly when she pressed a finger to her lips. "The boys are sleeping," she explained. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Inarizushi sounds delicious, if it's not too much trouble," he whispered. She smiled and nodded, moving to gather the necessary ingredients. Shigure sat down and watched her for a moment before speaking again.

"Oh, by the way, Tohru-kun," he began, "It seems I have a small business trip to attend on Friday. Miitchan insists that I stay until next Monday. Would you like me to reschedule? I wouldn't want to overwhelm you with our two...boisterous little animals," he chuckled, choosing his words carefully.

"Oh no, Shigure-san, it's perfectly all right with me," Tohru insisted, preparing the rice. "I'm sure the boys will be fine, and I'll be sure to keep an eye on them. Take your time, I wouldn't want you to feel like you had to reschedule because of my inadequacies -,"

"Good heavens, my little flower, please calm yourself," Shigure laughed softly. "I only ask becauuse I care, not because I _have _to. But if you think you can handle the boys, then I suppose I'll take the trip after all." He fell silent for a moment, and looked up again with a serious stare. Tohru felt his eyes on her, and looked up.

"Shigure-san? Daijoubu?" she asked in concern.

"Tohru-kun," he whispered, "I need you to be honest with me." Her eyes widened a fraction, but she returned to her work.

"Hai, Shigure-san, of course," she said, worry creeping into her voice.

"Is there a relationship between Kyo and Yuki?"

Tohru gasped softly and nearly dropped the bowl of rice, but she regained her composure just in time. "N-not to my knowledge, Shigure-san. I think that the...incident crushed any inkling of that." She looked up again. "Why do you ask?"

"Because if Akito-san found out, there would be...problems." He tried to phrase it delicately, but he failed miserably. Tohru's face paled, and she nodded in grave understanding.

"I...see," she began. "I'm sure Kyo-kun is aware of that, Shigure-san." Her gaze, usually warm, now transformed to sharpened steel. "But how would Akito-san ever find out?"

Shigure picked up on her protective tone immediately. "Oh, goodness, Tohru-kun, I would never alert him to such a thing," he reassured her, almost offended at the insinuation. "But these things do seem to happen in our family, ne?"

Tohru relaxed. "I suppose you're right. Gomen, Shigure-san." She retrieved the tofu for her inarizushi and laid it flat. "I just...get protective of them sometimes." Shigure rose from his seat and came to stand beside her; he placed an affectionate hand on her shoulder.

"I know you do, Tohru-kun. And that's why we all love you." He smiled warmly at her, and she returned the favor. Almost instantly, his serious face disappeared from sight, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek gently.

"And now, my precious flower, make me some of that delicious inari!" he nearly sang, to which Tohru blushed and cried out a fervent "Hai!"

* * *

Kyo awoke to a slight pat on his shoulder. He opened his eyes slowly and rubbed the bluriness away, looking up into Tohru's smiling face. He smiled back, but cringed as he popped his neck.

"I brought you some inarizushi, Kyo-kun. Would you like some?" she asked softly, holding out a plate of food. His tired eyes lit up, and he kissed her cheek.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" he said, taking the food from her. He looked at the sleeping Yuki. "Should we wake him up and feed him?"

"Sure, why not? And you can give him his medicine while you're at it," she suggested. "Would you like some help?"

"Oh no, Tohru-kun, I should be fine. After all, you made the food. Go relax." He gently shooed her out. "Arigatou," he called again, and she winked at him. Beside him, Yuki stirred, and Kyo gently shook him awake.

"Wake up, rat-boy," he said softly.

* * *

For those not well versed in Japanese language or food, a list for you:

Tadaima - I'm home!

Oyasumi - Good night (informal)

Okaeri nasai - Welcome home! (formal)

Inarizushi (or just Inari) - A type of sushi. Rice surrounded by tofu, then deep-fried. Is fucking delicious.

Gomen - I'm sorry (informal)

Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much! (formal)

Arigatou - Thank you (somewhat formal)


	7. Tears and Promises

Yuki slowly stirred and opened his eyes, lavender orbs darting about warily. "Where -," he began to speak, but a coughing fit interrupted his question. Kyo reached for the inhaler and pressed it into Yuki's hand.

"You're in your bedroom," he said quietly. "You've been unconscious almost all day. How do you feel?"

Yuki glared at him and inhaled his medication twice. "I feel like crap, you moron." He leaned back and sighed, but he shot right back up again. "Why the _fuck_ -," he coughed again, "are you in my room?"

"I've been watching you, you ungrateful prick," Kyo snapped, his ears turning pink. Yuki stared at him for a moment.

"...Why?" Kyo started.

"Because I care. I thought that was obvious." The pink embarrassment spread into his cheeks. "I didn't think I'd have to, you know, spell it out for you. Stupid rat."

Yuki looked down. "That's not what I meant."

"No? Then what did you mean?"

"I meant...why do you care?" This time, it was Yuki's turn blush. Kyo thought for a moment, looking up at the other boy. Yuki looked up as well and met his eyes.

"I don't know, Yuki," he answered honestly. In spite of himself, Yuki felt his eyes sting, and his deeply buried heart wondered why. He looked away and wiped at his eyes, glancing down in shock at the wetness on his hand.

"Yuki? You okay?" Kyo asked. Yuki's tear-filled eyes met Kyo's again, looking just as shocked as the cat did.

"I don't know," he murmured. Kyo leaned forward with his arms open, and Yuki reluctantly leaned into the embrace. Without warning, a choked sob wrenched itself from his throat, and he began to weep. Kyo, unsure of how to comfort him, moved his hand gently up and down the smaller boy's back. Yuki continued to cry for some time, his sobs finally fading into small hiccups and sniffs. He sat up and wiped the wetness from his face.

"Thank you," he whispered gratefully. Kyo, still at a loss for words, only nodded and handed the boy some tissues, which the other accepted eagerly. As he blew his nose, Kyo reached for the inari and held the plate up to Yuki.

"Tohru made inari for me. You want some?"

Yuki looked up and nodded slowly, reaching for the chopsticks, but Kyo batted his hand away. When Yuki frowned, Kyo only grinned back and grabbed the chopsticks for himself, reaching for a piece of the inari. Much to Yuki's chagrin, Kyo held the piece out in front of him.

"Open," he commanded gently. Yuki blushed.

"I can feed myself, you know," he muttered, but opened his mouth nonetheless. When the inari hit his tongue, however, all embarrassment was quickly forgotten. He looked over just in time to watch Kyo ingest a bite of his own.

"Wait, use different chopsticks! I'm sick, remember?" Yuki cried, almost choking on the inari. Kyo smirked.

"Yes, but unlike you, rat boy, my immune system kicks ass, and I don't have asthma," he stated through a mouthful of food.

"That's disgusting, you idiot, chew with your mouth closed," Yuki growled. Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever, rat boy." He held up another piece for Yuki, and he shared the food in this manner until it was completely gone. He held up a bottle of pills and gave them to Yuki.

"Take two of these every few hours," he instructed. "Hatori brought them," he added when Yuki stared at him. Yuki nodded and swallowed two dry. He looked up at Kyo, his eyes weary.

"Kyo," he said, "will you stay in here tonight?"

"If you want, sure," Kyo agreed. Yuki smiled gratefully and leaned back, closing his eyes. Kyo sat back in his chair and did the same, and a moment later, both boys had fallen into a light slumber.

* * *

Kyo continued to watch over Yuki for the remainder of the week, the air thick with tense overtones each time they spoke. It made the hair on Kyo's neck stand on end, and it made Yuki's heart flutter in his congested ribcage. By the end of the week, however, Yuki could sit up and carry on a moderate amount of conversation before succumbing to his exhaustion. This gave the cat a small amount of pride; apparently, he _could_ be nurturing - when he wanted to be.

_Take that, Akito, you fucking jerk._

"Kyo-kun?" A hand flew through his line of vision, catching his attention. Tohru smiled at him. "Welcome back, Kyo-kun. What are you making?"

"Soup for Yuki," he responded, focusing once more on the task at hand. She watched him silently for a while, the quiet between them companionable.

"Kyo-kun," she asked finally, "do you intend to start a relationship with Yuki-kun?" He paused in his actions, slicing through one last bit of carrot before placing the knife gently on the cutting board.

"I did for a while," he admitted. "But it's becoming more clear to me that he's not interested in guys." A sad smile tugged at his lips as he dumped the chopped carrots into the pot of broth. "I'm pretty pathetic, huh? As if Yuki would stoop to my level."

A chair crashed in the kitchen, and Kyo jumped. Tohru stood near the table, her fists clenched, and her chair toppled. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Don't ever say that."

Kyo looked down, stirring the pot. "But it's true." Tohru walked over and gripped his face in her soft, warm hands, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"No, Kyo," she said softly, her voice shaking. "You and Yuki are both so beautiful. I don't ever want you to think of yourself as anything less than human." The tears in her eyes fell in small rivulets down her flushed cheeks. "I love you both so much, Kyo. It hurts me to know that you can't see how beautiful you both are." She tilted his head down and kissed his forehead gently. "He'll be lucky to have you, Kyo. Don't give up just yet."

And as Kyo rested his head gently on her shoulder, he silently wished that he could love Tohru the way he loved Yuki.

* * *

Shigure blew a kiss to Tohru. "Goodbye, my dearest flower! Kyo, be a dear and try not to kill Yuki!" he laughed, turning to face Hatori. The stoic man lit up a cigarette and inhaled once, smoke floating from his lips in ashen rings. Shigure plucked the cancer stick from the man's mouth and took a drag as well, receiving a slight glare and an eye roll; he just gave Hatori a cheesy grin and bounced off to the waiting car.

"You know you love me, Haa-san," he sang, climbing inside. Hatori sighed and looked at Tohru.

"How's Yuki doing?" he asked, pulling out another cigarette.

"He's doing very well, Hatori-san," she said happily. "He's actually able to carry on conversation now without tiring out. Kyo-kun is quite the caretaker," she added with a giggle. Hatori allowed himself a tiny smile and nodded, pulling out his lighter.

"That's good to hear," he said. "I was afraid I'd have to move Yuki to the main house." He looked at Tohru and inhaled slowly, blowing the smoke away from her. "Tohru-kun, I don't enjoy asking people for favors."

Tohru's bright smile turned to a concerned frown instantly. "Hatori-san?"

"I need you to...take care of them," he continued hesitantly. "They don't know how to handle love. Hell, none of us do," he snorted. "But you're still teenagers, and teenage boys don't use their brains as much as they should." He sighed. "Those two have so much built up emotion. Sharing such intense feelings with each other can bring them close, or drive them apart. And Shigure and I are worried about Akito's interference."

Tohru nodded slowly, absorbing her new responsibility fully before looking at Hatori determinedly. "The Sohma are my family. I've already looked after them like that for so long...they're my brothers. I will not let them fall into harm, you have my word," she vowed, bowing respectfully. He smiled gratefully, placing a gentle but firm hand upon her shoulder.

"I believe in you, Tohru-kun. And thank you." He kissed her cheek gently and walked to the car without another word; as he drove away, their eyes met in his side mirror. And Tohru went back inside, the trace scent of nicotine and flora lingering in the doorway.

* * *

You know how Shigure goes to the car, singing to 'Haa-san'? I originally wanted him to say 'Haa-chan,' because in all honesty, I think the entire Mabudachi Trio is too close to stay within familial ties. There had to be some man-screwing behind the scenes. And not just Shigure and Aaya, either. I think Hatori would make a fine little fruit in a basket.

Oh, I made a pun on the Fruits Basket title. What now, yo? XD

As always, thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated greatly, but definitely not required. Constructive criticism of my writing technique is encouraged.

If I receive a flame, I'll simply add an 'r' at the end and make myself a new gay friend. So there. (Props to those who get the joke.)

Mata atode!

-Kat-


	8. Kisses, Danger

I'm sort of sad about the lack of reviews, but that's okay. If you don't feel like reviewing, you don't have to.

I saw the musical _Wicked_ last night. It was phenomenal. I mean, if you ever have the chance to see it, then do it. It was amazing.

CrimzonRozeAlchemist, I appreciate your input. Thank you for reading this story and giving me reviews so often. I really do love it. ^_^

A little bit of lovin' in this chapter. If boys kissing disturbs you, please turn around. There is a 'Back' button on your Internet browser for a reason, you know. Enjoy, lovelies.

* * *

"Yuki-kun, I'm so glad you're feeling better," Tohru sighed, laying a bowl of rice in front of said boy. He smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you, Tohru-kun," he said softly. Kyo entered the room a moment later.

"It looks delicious, Tohru-kun, thank you," he said as he eyed the food. He walked to Tohru and kissed her cheek appreciatively, and she blushed.

"Oh, stop it Kyo-kun," she giggled, "and go eat your breakfast before it gets cold." She gently pushed him towards his seat at the table and returned to finish cleaning the kitchen. The boys sat across from each other and said their thanks before digging into the meal. Kyo finished within moments, clearing his plate and leaving Yuki in silence.

_That's odd,_Yuki thought. _I don't think I've ever seen him _not_ savor his food. _He finished a while later, clearing his plate and greeting Tohru in the kitchen.

"Tohru-kun," he called, walking to her. "Baka neko wa doko ni itta?" He noticed with slight alarm as her shoulders tensed, and he placed his hands upon them gently. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Yuki-kun," she sighed, placing a dish soap-covered hand over one of his. She spoke with an uncharacteristically jaded smile on her face. "I wish you wouldn't call him that. Not when he..." She trailed off, staring blankly into space.

"When he what, Tohru-kun?"

"I'm sorry, Yuki-kun, but I've said too much," she said, turning to face him. "Just...try to realize that some things are more than they appear."

He nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll try, Tohru," he said honestly. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"That's all I ask of you, dear," she said. "Now, to answer your question, I believe Kyo-kun went outside in the backyard. Have you looked on the roof yet?"

"I haven't, actually. Thank you," he said gratefully, leaving her in the kitchen.

* * *

Kyo lay on the roof, his arms crossed behind his head. His eyes, which normally gazed at shapes in the clouds, were hooded with light sleep. He woke from his doze, however, when he felt another presence on the rooftop.

"Nezumi," he observed, neither hostile nor caring.

"Neko," Yuki replied in turn, sitting beside him. Kyo's heart ached with want, just sitting near the boy; he turned his head away to hide his blush.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Yuki sighed, ignoring the hole forming in his stomach.

"Thank you," he said softly. Kyo shot up and looked at Yuki in astonishment.

"_What?_" he asked.

"For taking care of me." Now Yuki was blushing as well. "That's all I needed to say, I'll just leave..." But as he turned to flee, Kyo grabbed his wrist and held tightly. Yuki turned and looked back at Kyo, leaning back as the cat leaned towards him. Kyo reached up and gently touched Yuki's face, leaning in closer.

"Can I?" he asked quietly. Yuki's heart stopped for a fraction of a moment, and then restarted abruptly when he looked into Kyo's deeply longing eyes. He nodded slowly, nervously; and Kyo gave him a true smile, stroking his cheek.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered, drawing closer. "I'll take care of you." He closed his eyes and pressed their lips together tentatively, resisting the urge to nibble on Yuki's bottom lip. No, he would wait as he always had.

Yuki's thoughts ceased the moment Kyo kissed him. He gasped and held onto Kyo's shoulders for dear life, his heat spinning and his heart racing. Kyo placed a hand on Yuki's lower back to hold him up, pulling away from him. He rested his forehead gently against Yuki's forehead, their breath mixing in the cool morning air.

"Yuki," he said, earning a lust-filled gaze. "I have to know if this is what you really want." His words ran contrary to his thoughts, which screamed for him to pin Yuki to the roof and screw him senseless. His ever-patient heart kept him in line as Yuki thought for a moment.

"I...don't know if this is what I want," Yuki began. Internally, Kyo's heart began to rip.

"But...I know that I...I want to find out." The rip healed almost instantly, and Kyo's heart nearly burst with joy. He regained his composure, however, when he noticed Yuki's discomfort.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Yuki's blush darkened.

"Could we try again?" he whispered. Kyo grinned and leaned Yuki back.

"Oh, most definitely," he purred, leaning down to kiss the boy again.

* * *

Miles away, a lone figure sat in his garden, a tiny bird perched on his finger. "Tori-chan, tori-chan..." he sighed, stroking her feathers gently. "I do believe I have been betrayed." The bird, sensing imminent danger, fluttered her wings and took to flight immediately.

"Akito-sama," a voice called. He turned around with a half-smile.

"Hatori, there you are," he responded. Hatori came to stand beside Akito.

"You requested my presence," he stated. Akito nodded.

"Tell me...how fares my precious Yuki?" he asked, amusement barely masking the anger in his voice. He noted the sudden tension in Hatori's muscles with irritation. _He knows._

"Much better, Akito-sama," Hatori began. "His asthma is back under control, thanks to Kyo -,"

"Do not utter that contemptuous creature's name in my house, dammit," Akito snapped. Hatori fell silent immediately. "Something is not right at Shigure's house, Hatori. And I have the strangest notion that our little monster is the cause." He stood and grabbed Hatori's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you, my little dragon?" he purred.

"Of course not, Akito-sama," Hatori murmured, his heart pounding like a taiko drum. Akito smiled his twisted little smile, and tightened his grip; Hatori flinched slightly.

"And you know of nothing that would cause me...anger? Nothing concerning the monster, or my precious Yuki?" he continued.

"Absolutely not," Hatori restated. Akito shoved him away.

"Leave me, I'm done with you." Hatori turned to leave. "Oh, and Hatori?" Akito called after him. Footsteps paused.

"Hai?"

"Let it be known that, should you prove untrustworthy, our little neko will find himself cast into the ninth circle of hell."

* * *

The phone rang suddenly, and Tohru snapped out of her daze. "Moshimoshi!" she answered.

"Tohru-kun," a warm voice replied. She smiled.

"Hatori-san, ohayou! Can I help you?"

"May I come over?" His voice, normally apathetic (but relaxed), now bore strain and concern. Tohru sat up straighter.

"Certainly, but why?" she asked worriedly. After a moment of silence, Hatori finally answered.

"I think we have a problem.

* * *

Translations:

Baka neko wa doko ni itta? - Where did the stupid cat go?

Nezumi - rat, mouse

Neko - cat

Tori-chan - Bird (said affectionately)

Moshimoshi - Hello (answering the phone)

Ohayou - Good morning (informal)

The Ninth Circle of Hell: A reference to _The Divine Comedy_, also known as _Dante's Inferno_. Dante describes hell with nine levels; the lower the level, the more grievous the sin committed. Satan resides in the ninth circle, trapped in a frozen lake. (It's frozen because he tries to fly away, but the wind from his wings cools the lake and freezes him in place.)

See you again.

-Kat-


	9. Hiding

Thankies for all the reviews! They were very encouraging and kind. I'm glad that my work is making people happy.  
Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
P.S. I finally watched the first few episodes of the _GetBackers_ anime. Kuroudo Akabane is a fucked-up sonuvabitch. And he's also sexy as hell. My stars...when he took off his shirt, I was like, "Ohohoh, somebody's kinky..." Meheh! Okay, enough of that...

* * *

"Hatori-san," Tohru said with a bow. "Please, come in." She gestured inside the house to the doctor, who walked in slowly and followed her to the living room.

"Where are the boys?" he asked. "This concerns them."

"They're on the roof, I'll go get them." She walked outside and looked up. "Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, kite onegai!" she called. A moment later, Kyo jumped down, and another moment later Yuki jumped gracefully into his arms. As Kyo put him down, they both looked at her questioningly, and she smiled at their mussed hair and kiss-swollen lips.

"Come inside, Hatori-san is here to talk to us." She led them back into the house, where Hatori waited. They all sat down in the living room.

"What's going on, Hatori?" Yuki asked curiously. Hatori sighed.

"Before we begin, I need to know...is there something going on between you two?" he asked the boys, who both blushed. Tohru looked expectantly at them when neither one spoke. They looked at each other, blushing, but it was Yuki who finally broke the eye contact.

"No," he said quietly, his voice wavering. "There's nothing." Kyo's mask faltered slightly, but otherwise did not betray the immense tear in his heart. Tohru inhaled sharply, anger and fear combining in a sickening combination in her heart.

"Well, Akito seems to believe there _is _something," Hatori warned. Yuki froze in utter terror, and his heart seemed to skip several beats.

"He...what? How? Why?!" His voice rose to a shout.

"I'm sure it's just paranoia," Hatori said, secretely unconvinced of this theory. He knew Yuki was lying - not only by his constantly shifting gaze, but by Kyo's poorly hidden sorrow. "But be careful. I'll keep him away from you both as much as I can, but I can't make any promises."

"There's nothing to be careful about," Yuki insisted. "As if I'd even get along with this queer anyway." Even as Tohru gasped in shock, he knew how poisonous his words were; they made him sick to his stomach with guilt and sorrow. _Gomen, Kyo. I don't mean it. _He pretended not to notice the way Kyo's fists clenched tightly together, his knuckles turning white with suppressed rage.

"Well, there's no need to be harsh about it," Hatori said blandly. "I came here to warn you, not to frighten you."

"Well, I appreciate it. And you can tell Akito-sama -," Yuki nearly choked at the name, "- that there is nothing of concern going on here."

"That's a relief," Hatori said, his gaze intensifying as he locked eyes with Yuki. "You know that if something _does_change, however, that I will do my best to protect you both?" Yuki stared right back, his face paling slightly.

"Nothing will change, Hatori," he said, his voice icy and his eyes sharpened steel. Hatori nodded resignedly.

"Very well then, that is all." Immediately, the two boys departed, leaving Tohru alone with the doctor. "Tohru, be honest with me," he said. She nodded.

"There is something between them, isn't there?" It was more of a statement than a question, but just as curious. She nodded again and sighed.

"I wish they could be more open about it, Hatori-san," she confessed. "It pains me to watch them hiding. Even now, only hours after they found each other..." She paused to gather her emotions, which threatened to spill down her cheeks. "Even now, I sense something between them that is irreversible." The weight of her words hung thickly in the air.

"I will do all I can to keep Akito distracted," Hatori said determinedly. "But it's only a matter of time before he catches on. We have to be prepared for that day." His very words caused a chilled wave of fear to flow down Tohru's spine.

"I'll do anything to keep them safe," she vowed protectively. "Do you have the time? I think this requires some extensive discussion."

"I'm off work today," he confirmed.

"Ah, good. I'll go get some tea started, and then we'll talk."

* * *

Yuki knocked tentatively on Kyo's door and walked inside. Kyo sat on the edge of his bed, facing away from Yuki and staring blankly at the wall. Yuki closed the door and walked to him slowly, his heart heavy with guilt and unspoken apologies. He crawled behind Kyo and wrapped his arms around the taller boy's shoulders, nuzzling close.

"I'm so sorry, Kyo," he whispered. Kyo nodded slowly, as if in a daze. He turned around and nuzzled his face into Yuki's neck; a moment later, Yuki felt hot, wet tears falling on his skin, and his heart broke for his beloved.

"Please, don't cry," he begged, petting Kyo's hair affectionately. "I never meant to hurt you, Kyo, I swear. I didn't mean it."

"I know," Kyo whispered, his voice shaky. "But it hurts the most when it comes from you."

Yuki held him tighter and wept, his guilt nearly consuming him. "Please, forgive me," he cried, linking Kyo's fingers between his own. Kyo placed the smaller boy's hand over his own heart and held it there, his gaze burning with sorrow.

"It hurts in here," he said softly. "Make the hurt go away." Yuki nodded and leaned Kyo onto his back, unbuttoning his shirt slowly. Then he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against the heartbeat.

"I'll never hurt you again," he promised, and Kyo smiled warily down at him.

"I know you won't," he sighed, running his hand through silver hair. Yuki settled comfortably on top of Kyo and closed his eyes as they snuggled together, and Kyo's heart felt a burst of joy.

"Do I have to get up yet?" Yuki asked a while later, but Kyo only held on tighter, and Yuki smiled behind his closed eyes. As soon as Kyo heard a quiet snore, he pulled his blanket over their tangled bodies, and fell into a light doze.

* * *

"I just wonder if Shigure is trustworthy," Hatori said uncertainly. Tohru nodded and set a cup of tea in front of the man, sitting across from him.

"I trust Shigure-san with everything," she stated firmly. Her gaze softened almost immediately. "However, you know him much better than I could ever hope to..." She thought to herself for a moment. "Do you really believe that he could...betray the boys?" The very though formed a lump in her throat, and she struggled to swallow it. Hatori thought to himself for a moment, his face pained and tense.

"I..." He gathered himself. "I hate to say anything against him, but...it would not shock me at all." He sighed. "I can't say I even trust myself, Tohru-kun. Akito has such power over us, and as much as I hate it, his word is law. If he found out, then..." He didn't need to finish his statement for Tohru to understand.

_One of the boys would have to forget. _The possibility of such a terrible thing hit her with the force of a thousand bricks, and she was very nearly sick. "Hatori-san...would you really?" she asked incredulously. He averted his face in shame.

"I'm afraid I would have no choice, Tohru-kun," he admitted. "I sincerely hope that it doesn't reach that point. I don't think I could take it." For the first time since she met him, Tohru saw tears pool in Hatori's usually stoic eyes, and his pain frightened her. She moved beside him and took his hand gently.

"We'll keep them safe," she encouraged him. "Together, we can keep them out of harm's way." He nodded unconvincingly, and her grip tightened. "Hatori-san, be strong!" she cried, daring to raise her voice the slightest bit. "You have to believe that everything will work out!"

He turned to face her, a wary but genuine smile gracing his features for a moment. "I'll try, Tohru-kun," he promised. She smiled back.

"That's all I ask, Hatori-san." She thought for a moment. "Shigure-san returns tomorrow. I'll teach Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun some self-control. In the meantime, can you handle Akito-san? I know he's..." She hesitated. "...He's intimidating."

"I can hold him off for a while longer," he said confidently. "You just make sure Shigure doesn't find out." He stuck out his hand. "Do we have a deal?" Without hesitation, Tohru gripped his hand and shook.

"Most definitely, Hatori-san."

* * *

Kyo stirred and blinked his eyes open slowly, wondering sleepily why his chest felt heavy. He looked down and smiled to himself. _Beautiful_, he thought, kissing Yuki's forehead softly. Yuki shifted in his sleep and snuggled closer to Kyo's warm body, muttering nonsensical words; Kyo thought it sounded suspiciously like "Kitten wants his tuna."

He sighed contentedly and pulled the blanket tighter around their bodies. _It's fucking **cold** today,_ he thought with a shiver. A moment later, Yuki shivered as well, and snuggled even closer into his Kyo-pillow.

"Warm," he mumbled, and Kyo snorted. _Baka nezumi_. He carefully slid out from underneath Yuki and got to his feet to stretch, his shirt riding up and revealing subtly tanned muscles. As he slid back under his blanket, he spared a glance at his alarm clock.

_5:30 P.M._ "Holy crap!" he muttered in surprise. _I guess we were pretty tired... _He sighed in frustration. _Guess I won't get any sleep tonight, then._ He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Yuki's smaller frame, pressing himself against Yuki's back. A moment later, he registered a change in Yuki's breathing.

"You're awake, aren't you?" It was actually more of a statement than a question, but Yuki's nod confirmed Kyo's suspicions anyway. The silver-haired teen shifted around until he faced Kyo, and kissed him shyly. Kyo shifted on top of him and sucked gently on Yuki's bottom lip, and the smaller boy gasped. Kyo smirked at him.

"Kissing virgin, are we?" he teased. Yuki blushed in embarassment, and Kyo felt surprise hit him like a ton of bricks. "Dammit, I'm sorry, I was just joking - mmf!" Yuki cut him off with another kiss.

"Well then," he whispered, "teach me."


	10. Kesu

You peeps will NOT be very happy with me after this chapter...I got some terribly harsh inspiration at 2 am...forgive me. :3 It was a hard chapter to write, but now ideas should flow through my brain more. :D

Princess Kiki Mari: I'm trying, I'm trying! x3 I'm glad you like this story, though.

Sweetkakes35: I know, right? He's such a sneaky doggy! O_oll

In other news, I returned from Japan in July to find that my yuri lemon has been deleted. -mad face-

Enjoy, peeps, and thanks for your feedback! ^_^

* * *

Both boys emerged from the bedroom several hours later when the dusk-covered sky emerged, their cheeks pink and breath heavy, but hands held together lovingly. Kyo leaned to the side and kissed his lover on the cheek, causing Yuki to smile and meet gentle lips with his own.

Tohru rounded the corner with a basket of laundry, and smiled at her boys. "Hello Kyo, Yuki," she greeted warmly. The two boys broke apart and smiled sheepishly.

"Tohru-kun," Yuki responded, blushing. He eyed the basket. "Oh, Tohru-kun, it's getting late! Why are you still doing chores?" he asked. Kyo moved toward her.

"Here, we'll take care of that," he said, taking the basket from her. She smiled wearily at them.

"Arigatou, boys. I'm sorry, I'm just so tired tonight," she apologized.

"Go to bed, then," Yuki ordered gently. "We'll handle this. Oyasumi, Tohru-kun."

"Oyasumi, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun," Tohru said, then she went to her room and shut the door. Kyo took the laundry downstairs, and Yuki followed, and together they sat folding clothes for a while.

"Pass me that shirt, Kyo?" Yuki asked, and Kyo obliged, handing him the required piece of cloth. Their hands brushed for the briefest of moments, and Yuki blushed before pulling his hand away from Kyo's inviting warmth. Kyo smiled knowingly at Yuki and pecked his cheek.

"Daisuki," he whispered, and Yuki giggled.

"Anata mo dai-," he started, but the ringing phone interrupted him. Kyo scowled.

"Who the hell calls at nine thirty at night?" he growled, standing up to get the phone. He ran to the wall and lifted the phone from its receiver. "Moshi moshi."

"...Cat."

Yuki noted Kyo's stiffening muscles with alarm, and immediately rushed to his side. "Kyo?"

"Ah, is that my dearest nezumi in the background? Please, put him on the phone, won't you?"

"What do you want, Akito?" Kyo snapped, and Yuki's heart skipped a beat.

"It's none of your business, cat, but if you _must_know," Akito hissed, "then I suppose I could tell you. I need you and Yuki here, _now_. Hatori will be there shortly to pick you up. Don't keep me waiting." A moment later, the line went dead, and Kyo replaced the phone in its receiver with shaking hands. Yuki grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

"What is it?! What's going on?!" he nearly yelled, and Kyo embraced him.

"I don't know," he confessed. "But we have to go with Hatori when he gets here."

"No," Yuki cried, "I won't go! He can't make me!" He pushed Kyo away and let out a choked sob. "You can't make me go! None of you can!" He fought as Kyo tried to hug him again, but Kyo was persistent, and soon Yuki collapsed in his arms.

"I don't want to go either," Kyo whispered, "but I know I'll feel better with you at my side." He kissed the silver head sweetly and swallowed his own tears. Something would change tonight.

* * *

Hatori led them past the gates of the main house. No words were spoken, much like the tense silence that had reigned in the car. Kyo held his lover's hand in a death grip, nearly enough to break the bones of any weaker individual. Hatori's shoulders were tight, his steps quick but reluctant as they neared the doors.

"Whatever you two do," he said suddenly, causing the boys to jump, "_do not lie._ Lying makes everything worse."

"Hatori, what in the hell is going on?" Yuki asked. Hatori didn't look at him.

"Don't ask me that," he snapped, and opened the door, leading them inside. They walked down the long expanse of hallway before stopping in front of two very large shoji. Hatori slid one open and motioned for Yuki and Kyo to follow him inside the room.

"Akito-sama," Hatori whispered with a bow to the shadows. "Shall I step outside?"

"No, my dear seahorse, you will remain here," Akito ordered, and Yuki slid behind Kyo ever so slightly. The thin, demonic frame of Akito rose from the darkness and walked forward, his gaunt half-smile terrifying Kyo nearly to the point of fainting.

"My precious Yuki and his monster," Akito purred. "How lovely of you to join me."

"What do you want?" Kyo snapped. Akito chuckled, his voice low and sinister.

"What do I want? That's quite the question, _cat_," he spat. "Do you really want to know?"

"YES!" Kyo shouted, and Akito giggled again. Then, before anyone else could react, he slammed Kyo against the wall, his hand around the delicate column of Kyo's neck.

"Kyo!" Yuki cried, and took a step before slapping a hand over his mouth. Akito turned his head slowly, eyes wide and glowing in disbelief.

"So it's true, then!" he yelled, anger coloring the timbre of his voice. "This monster has been corrupting my nezumi!" His grip on Kyo's throat tightened, and the cat-cursed boy clawed at the hand in an attempt to regain his breath.

"Let him go! Please!" Yuki cried, dropping to his knees. "Please, Akito!"

Abruptly, Akito released his grip, and Kyo fell to the floor in a coughing heap. Yuki started to move toward Kyo, but Akito grabbed his wrists and pushed him against the wall.

"You've been a very bad boy, Yuki," he whispered into Yuki's ear, and the rat-cursed felt his own body shiver. "Do you know what happens when you're a bad boy, Yuki?" he asked. Yuki swallowed and breathed his answer.

"I get p-punished..."

"That's right, you get punished," Akito said, his lips twisting into a smile. It was a horrible and frightening look for him. "But do you know _how_ I'm going to punish you?"

"N-no..."

"Well then, how about you sit and watch, hm?" He grabbed Yuki and threw his body on the floor with surprising force, leaving the boy in terrible pain. Yuki looked up and watched with horror as Akito withdrew a small blade from his kimono. Behind him, Hatori gasped.

"Akito-sama, you aren't -," the man started.

"_Shut up, Hatori, and don't come a step closer_," Akito hissed, and it was a sound so utterly terrifying that Hatori didn't dare move a muscle, and Yuki's heart skipped a beat. Akito approached the still wheezing Kyo, who looked at him with contempt and fury.

"What now?" he coughed, and Akito smiled again.

"Since you've asked so politely, I think I'll tell you." He leaned down and held Kyo's chin in a vice-like grip. "You see, _monster_, you and Yuki have been very bad boys. Bad boys like you two need to be punished. However," he added, standing tall once more, "I think Yuki has grown immune to my more...physical punishments over the years."

"You fucking bastard!" Kyo cried in astonishment.

"So I've decided that he'll have to settle for some mental strain instead. But _you_, my dear little monster..." Akito giggled, and it was a manic giggle. "You will pay dearly for stealing what's mine."

It happened so fast that Yuki saw only a blur, but when Kyo let out a screech, Yuki's heart stopped. The knife in Akito's hand - Yuki couldn't say when it turned red with blood, but it made him sick to his stomach. He stood and ran to his beloved, who kept his right eye covered and cried in pain.

"Kyo! What is it? What's wrong?!" Yuki cried, hysteria seeping into his conscious. Kyo pulled his hand away. The eye was gone; only a bloody open socket remained, and Yuki felt a scream wrench itself from his throat.

"Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god!!!!!" he shrieked. "Kyo!" He wept for his lover and embraced him, and Kyo writhed around in agony. Yuki held him tighter to still his movements.

"It's okay," he whispered, his own tears still falling. "You'll be okay, don't worry, I'm right here..." He reached down to tear off the edge of his own shirt, and then wrapped the strip of fabric around Kyo's head and eye.

"Lay down now," he whispered, easing Kyo down onto the floor.

"No, Yuki!" Kyo protested. "He'll hurt you too! I won't let him!"

"He already has," Yuki cried, and kissed Kyo's hand. "If something happens to me, get yourself out of here."

"I won't leave you here!" Kyo yelled.

"Hatori!" Akito snapped. "Take Yuki away!" And Hatori, with reluctance, walked to Yuki and pulled him to the door.

"NO!!!" Yuki screamed. "DON'T TAKE ME AWAY FROM KYO!!!"

"YUKI!" Kyo cried, standing to run after his lover. But Akito hit him in the back of the head, and Kyo fell to the ground.

"KYO!!!" Yuki screamed, and Hatori dragged him down the hallway like that, screaming his heart out the whole time.

* * *

Kyo's body felt _heavy_. It wasn't a pleasant feeling; he knew he was waking from a rather unnatural sleep. When he finally felt the weight lift, he opened his left eye. His right eye wouldn't open, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't _make_ it. His left eye darted about, and focused on a figure sitting beside him.

"...Tohru?" he whispered, and the girl looked at him in shock. Her eyes were red and lined with unshed tears. She gasped.

"Kyo-kun! You're awake!" she wept, taking his hand. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been run over by a truck," he moaned. "And my damned right eye won't open..." He didn't fail to notice the drop in Tohru's countenance after he spoke. "What's the matter?"

"Kyo-kun, your right eye is gone," she informed him gently, and memories hit him suddenly like a punch in the stomach.

"Yuki!" he cried out. "Where is he? What's his room number? I have to see him!" He stopped speaking when Tohru's face grew more despondent.

"Kyo-kun," she sobbed, "Yuki's not at the hospital. He's at home." She took a moment to compose herself before speaking again. "Kyo-kun...he's not the same Yuki anymore."

"What do you mean?" Kyo asked, afraid to know the answer.

"After you passed out, Akito had Yuki's memory erased."


	11. Breakdown

Kyo felt his heart rise into his throat, and the lump stifled his voice for a moment. "What...what?"

"He's resting right now," Tohru said, drawing circles on the back of Kyo's hand with her own. "Hatori said that when he wakes up, he's not going to remember anything for the last three months. He'll be a little behind in school, but it's nothing he won't be able to handle." Tohru watched Kyo warily, ready for him to scream and run right out of the hospital; she grew more anxious when he only sat there, staring blankly into space.

"Kyo-kun," she whispered, "please talk to me. I know this is...shocking to you." When he still didn't speak, she lowered her head and kissed his hand, letting her own tears fall.

"I'm so sorry, Kyo-kun," she sobbed.

* * *

For days, Kyo did nothing but sit and stare out his small window. Tohru returned every afternoon after school was finished, and after caring for a quickly recovering Yuki. She sat with Kyo every day for three hours, until the nurse quietly came in to inform her that visiting time was over for the day. Each day, Tohru watered the flowers on his windowsill, which she had brought to brighten the stark white walls. She helped Kyo to his feet and took him to the hospital cafeteria at dinner time, where she helped him eat. Though the work was exhausting, she performed her duties with bittersweet love. He never spoke, but occasionally he gave her hand a tender squeeze.

Four days after he was admitted, it was a Saturday, and Tohru came to spend almost the entire day with him. She decided to take him outside to the garden; she thought the fresh air would do wonders for his now broken spirit.

"Kyo-kun, ohayou," she greeted, walking to his bedside. "It's bright and sunny outside today, Kyo-kun. I think we'll go to the garden for a walk. How's that sound?" She didn't expect a response, but she didn't believe he truly minded. She lowered the bedrail and pulled him to the side, helping him to dress for the day, and tying his shoelaces. Holding his hand tightly, she led him outside, and he trudged behind her mindlessly like a ragdoll. They walked slowly through the rows of flowers; petunias, daisies, sunflowers, and even roses adorned the ground. Tohru leaned near a rosebush and inhaled through her nose.

"Kyo-kun, you should smell these roses," she sighed. "They're wonderful. Here," she said, and leaned his upper body forward. He inhaled through his nose, and then released the breath without a word. They walked a little further until they found a bench in the shade of a tall maple tree, and sat down.

"Kyo-kun," she began after a while, "I need to be honest with you." She took his hand, so large in comparison to her own, yet so soft. "I'm so scared for you, Kyo-kun. I'm worried that this shock will take you away from me. I don't want to lose you too," she confessed, tears welling in her eyes. "Yuki's not the same anymore. The tenderness you brought out in him is gone, and the warmth. I'm worried that if you keep your emotions inside for too long, they'll take you away from me as well."

A strangled choking sound made her jump, and she looked at Kyo in alarm. "Kyo-kun, what's the matter? Are you sick?" she asked, but her heart sank when he made the noise again. His face, the blank mask he wore for so long, shattered with each gasp he made, and tears formed in his left eye. "Kyo-kun," she whispered, moving closer. And he laid his head on her shoulder and let out the most heart-wrenching cry of agony that Tohru had ever heard. His misery made itself known as each sob wrenched itself past his throat, and his body trembled.

"T-Tohru," he gasped between sobs, "why?!" The salty tears ran down his cheeks in hot, burning torrents and soaked Tohru's shoulder through her shirt. "Oh god, I love him so much..."

And he cried his heart out for the rest of the day, with Tohru holding him close to her heart.

* * *

Kyo was discharged the next evening, with instructions on at-home care for his missing eye until it healed. Hatori came to the hospital to pick them up. Tohru pushed Kyo out to the front in a wheelchair and helped him into the back of Hatori's car before climbing into the other side.

"Hatori-sensei, arigatou gozaimasu," she thanked him.

"Tondemonai," he said softly, not making eye contact with either teen. The drive to Shigure's was silent and tense, and when they arrived, Hatori finally spoke.

"Kyo," he whispered, "Gomen nasai."

"I know, Hatori," Kyo replied softly. "And...I forgive you." He stepped out of the car without another word and waited for Tohru to do the same.

"Keep him safe for me, Tohru-kun," Hatori addressed her before she left, and she nodded.

"I will," she promised, and followed Kyo inside as Hatori drove away. Shigure greeted them at the door with his carefree grin, which - compared to normal - seemed actually a bit subdued.

"Okaeri Kyo-kun, okaeri Tohru-kun," he greeted them. They each slipped off their shoes and stepped into house slippers, and Tohru escorted Kyo to his room.

"I'm sure you'd like a shower, hm?" she asked him, and he nodded slowly.

"I would like that, yes," he agreed, and Tohru smiled at him gently and took his hand before blushing.

"Would Kyo-kun mind if...if I doted on him for one more night?" she requested, her need to nurture overwhelming her senses. Kyo thought for a moment to himself. His pride was shattered already, as were his heart and soul; he could use a bit of Tohru's love to help recover. And he knew that, though his pain was the greatest, that Tohru was suffering as well. Perhaps, he thought, they could help to heal each other a little bit.

"I would not mind at all, Tohru-kun." He gave her a soft smile, one of true gratitude, and she very nearly melted uner his gaze. She took his hand and led him to the bathroom, and reached up to knock on the door. But it opened before she touched it, and a half-naked Yuki walked out with a towel around his waist. He looked up in surprise.

"Tohru-kun!" he said, blushing. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were here!"

"Oh, it's fine," Tohru said, her face turning red as well. Yuki shifted his gaze to Kyo, and his eyes widened.

"What...what the hell happened?" he asked, and Kyo suddenly lost his ability to speak or think clearly. Tohru saw his struggle and immediately jumped in.

"He had a bit of an accident," she said. "Um, it's a bit of a sensitive issue right now..."

"Oh, it's fine," Yuki reassured her. "Um...hope you feel better soon, cat."

Kyo's one eye widened in horror, and he shoved past the boy and ran into the bathroom to hide. Tohru followed quickly behind and shut the door behind her, locking it securely before leaning down at Kyo's side. Kyo buried his face in his hands and bawled.

"It's true, it's true, oh god," he wailed, and Tohru felt his pain as her own. She leaned forward and embraced him, and when he transformed, she only held him tighter. He buried his nose into Tohru's neck, and his tears fell hot upon her skin; she stroked his fur and kissed his soft furry head, and rocked him back and forth as his sobs diminished into hiccups.

"Ready for a bath, Kyo-kun?" she asked after a while, and she felt him nod. Not a moment later, Kyo returned to his human form with a loud _POOF_ and sat before Tohru in his nakedness. Unaffected, Tohru started the bath water and made sure the temperature wasn't too hot; she then helped Kyo to his feet and lowered him into the water. After thoroughly wetting his hair, she worked shampoo through it until Kyo had a head full of lather; she massaged it gently and lovingly through his temples, and then rinsed it all out. Kyo, meanwhile, washed the accumulated sweat from his body. When he was clean, Tohru helped him get dressed and then tucked him into bed, as a mother would.

"Good night, Kyo-kun," she whispered, kissing his forehead. "I hope your dreams bring you peace." She turned off the light switch and stepped out, closing the door behind her. In the darkness of night, Kyo cried himself to sleep.


	12. Caged

You have all given me so much positive encouragement! Thank you so much! I appreciate all the feedback you have for me. Again, even a little review boosts my morale immensely, and I need as much feedback as I can get.

Thanks again, peeps!

-Kat-

* * *

A week later, and Kyo - though much improved - still had quite the task of living with just one eye. He often ran into walls and doors, and his depth perception was very different. Tohru gladly helped him, but she noted with worry that he never smiled. Yuki, though not completely cold, was definitely not the same Yuki that Kyo had fought so hard to win over. Each encounter between the boys often ended in confusion for Yuki, and tears for Kyo.

"Sohma-kun," Tohru asked Yuki, "would you mind helping me with dinner tonight?"

"Of course not, Tohru-kun," he responded with a gentle smile, following her to the kitchen.

"Arigatou gozaimasu. It's been a while since I've spent time with you. I've just been so worried about Kyo-kun lately," she confessed. Yuki frowned.

"I didn't think losing an eye could leave someone so depressed," he thought aloud. When he saw Tohru's astonished face, he blushed. "Oh goodness, Tohru-kun, I didn't know I said that aloud. I don't mean to be insensitive -,"

"It's not that," she sighed, pulling out a cutting board and knife. "It's just that...Kyo-kun's not upset about his eye. He's lost something very precious to him, and I'm so worried that he'll never find it again."

"I'm sure he'll find it eventually," Yuki reassured her. "The baka neko's always losing things." Tohru inwardly cringed - the statement rang truer than Yuki even knew.

"Perhaps I misspoke," she began, but a knock on the door distracted her from her cooking. "Yuki-kun, could you watch the nikujaga for me?" she asked, and he nodded. She ran to answer the door, but discovered that Kyo had already done so. He stood stiffly at the entrance, not moving to allow the guests entrace.

"Kyo-kun? Dare ka?" she asked, walking to him. However, she too stiffened when she saw who stood before her. "Hatori-san!"

"May I come in?" he asked, and Kyo moved to let him inside. He sighed deeply and did not raise his eyes from the floor; whether from shame or sorrow, Tohru and Kyo couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry," he began, "but Kyo is required at the main house. You are to come with me immediately."

"What the fuck for?" Kyo snapped, and Tohru placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

"Akito-sama has decided that your freedom is over." The statement shook Kyo to the core, and his newly reconstructed heart began to shatter again. Beside him, Tohru gasped, and tightened her grip on him.

"You can't possibly mean -," Kyo started, but Hatori nodded.

"The cage." At this, Tohru let out a great cry, and Yuki came running. He looked at Hatori warily.

"What's going on?" he asked, and Tohru, turning to face him, suddenly cried much harder. Yuki shook her gently. "Tohru-kun, what's the matter?!"

"It's nothing," Kyo said, his voice short. He turned to Hatori. "Shall I go pack anything?"

"No, just come with me," Hatori whispered. "I'll go start the car. Don't keep Akito-sama waiting." He turned and walked out again, and Kyo looked at Tohru with bittersweet fondness.

"Tohru-kun," he said softly, opening his arms, and she ran to embrace him, sobbing wildly. She embraced his kitten form and snuggled him tightly for the last time, kissing his soft fur and massaging his paws.

"Kyo-kun, you can't leave!" she cried, and he wept against her. "Why won't you fight?!"

"Because there's nothing left for me here," Kyo said. "I love you so much, Tohru-kun."

"And I love you!" She set him down, and he returned to his human state soon after. She looked away as he changed, facing a stunned Yuki. After Kyo was dressed, he kissed Tohru's cheek. When he faced Yuki, the rat blushed self-consciously.

"So...I guess this is goodbye," Yuki said almost sadly, though he wasn't sure why. He held out a hand, but disregarded it, and instead walked forward and embraced him. Yuki stood frozen for a moment, and then...he returned the embrace tentatively. And it felt so perfect, so _right,_ that there was a deep sense of loss when Kyo pulled away.

"Don't forget me," Kyo begged, staring at Yuki intently. Yuki swallowed and nodded, and Kyo turned around and left the house. Behind him, Tohru collapsed and sobbed.

* * *

Yuki walked to Tohru's room that night and knocked softly on her door. A soft "Come in" was his only response. He found Tohru on her bed, sniffling and clutching her pillow tightly; when she looked over at him, she burst into a fresh round of tears, and Yuki ran to embrace her. A _POOF _later, and she cuddled the small rat against her heart, as though he could keep it from breaking.

"It's not fair!" she cried to him. "He's suffered so much, Yuki-kun...you don't know how much."

"Why do I feel as though I'm missing something?" Yuki asked her, and Tohru's sobs diminished into soft hiccups.

"Because -hic- you are, Yuki-kun," she sighed. "But it's not something I can tell you. You have to discover it for yourself."

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because matters of the heart cannot be influenced by those of the conscious mind." She stroked his short grey fur and kissed his head. "But I know you feel the beginnings of something. I saw it today when..." She had to stop speaking to prevent more crying, and he nodded in understanding.

"My heart aches...and I don't know why," he confessed. "I think I miss him."

"I think so, too," Tohru whispered, and she laid back into her pillows. "Yuki-kun...what will we do?"

He nuzzled against the warmth of her bosom and sighed. "We have to see him."

* * *

Kyo landed face-first on the cold, unforgiving dirt floor. The setting sun shone through iron bars, his only window to the outside world. Rising to his feet, he wiped the dirt from his cheeks and turned to face Akito.

"Haven't you done enough to screw me over?" he asked, and Akito frowned.

"My dear monster," he said slowly, as though explaining the situation to a child, "you should be grateful! After all, have you not spent the last eighteen years of your life in freedom? I have been most lenient in giving you that." Akito walked forward and pushed a very resistant Kyo down to the floor. "You will bow to your god, or face the consequences," he ordered, and Kyo narrowed his eyes.

"Like hell I will!" he snapped, groaning in pain when a hand smacked his cheek. "Fuck you! I will never bow to you, and I'll never be grateful! You've ruined my life!"

"You little brat," Akito growled. "Do you still not understand? I gave you freedom, and you betrayed my thoughtful gift!"

"What the fuck does that mean?!"

"You mean you don't understand why you've been brought here?" Akito asked with sarcastic astonishment. Kyo scowled at him and very nearly gave him an obscene gesture.

"Well, it's obviously because I'm the cat, and I'd be damned if you ever gave a _flying fuck_ about me," he spat. Akito laughed, and the very sound was bone-chillingly sinister.

"So you _do_ have brains in that monstrous head!" he exclaimed, and then calmed his laughter. "And while that is _partially _correct..."

_CRACK!_ Kyo hissed in pain at the lash across his left cheek. "You still neglect that one crucial detail." _CRACK!_ A lash on his right cheek mirrored the one on his left.

"It's because -" _CRACK!_ "- you took -" _CRACK!_ "- what's MINE!" The whip made a third lash across Kyo's shoulders, and the cat-cursed boy cried out.

"You fucker," he panted, and Akito grinned.

"I don't think you have any idea, you little monster brat." He walked closer to Kyo and gripped his throat hard enough to cut off air supply, and Kyo clawed at the offending hand. But after just a few moments, blackness made its way into the edges of his vision, and he fainted. Akito dropped him to the floor.

"Sleep well, monster."

* * *

"Yuki-kun, are you sure this will work?" Tohru whispered nervously. She followed Yuki to the gates of the Sohma main house, and watched with disdain as he tried (and failed) to open the lock. He made a grunt of frustration and looked at her.

"Do you have a bobby pin?" he asked, and sighed when she shook her head _no_. He kneeled and motioned for her to come forward. "Get on my shoulder and climb over. I'll go next."

"Are you sure?" she asked, and he nodded. She braced herself against the gate and planted her feet firmly on his shoulders; he rose slowly from his knees, and she hopped over the gate quickly.

"How do I open the gate?" she asked.

"There should be a little switch," Yuki said, and not a moment later, the gate opened with a small _click_. Yuki hurried inside, and walked around the compound hand-in-hand with Tohru. Leaves crunched softly beneath their feet, and their breath condensed in the chilly night air.

"It should be just around the corner," Yuki whispered, and Tohru nodded, gripping his hand even tighter as they rounded the corner. they found a large building, isolated near the metal fence. It was small, perhaps no bigger than Tohru's room, and the only way to look in was through a set of metal bars over a window. They approached it swiftly, and Tohru gripped the bars.

"Kyo-kun!" she whispered loudly. "Kyo-kun, are you in there?" She received a moan in response, and a hand gripped a bar from inside the structure. Tohru jumped and nearly shrieked, but Yuki clamped his hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. Not a moment later, Kyo's bloodied face appeared. Tohru let out a stunned gasp and reached out to touch his cheek.

"Oh, Kyo-kun," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Are you all right?"

"I am now," he said, giving her the best smile he could manage. He kissed her palm and treasured its warmth. "What are you doing here? How did you get here? You should leave before Akito finds you!" he warned.

"It's all right, Yuki-kun is here with me," she said. Kyo's eyes widened.

"Yuki...is here?" he asked. Yuki walked closer and made his presence known.

"Hey there," he said softly, insecurely. Kyo's taut face visibly relaxed when he saw Yuki, and he unconsciously reached forward past the bars.

"Yuki," he breathed. "Why are you here?" Yuki inhaled sharply when he saw that outreached hand, the gesture revealing Kyo's true vulnerability, and it melted his heart. He slowly slipped his hand into Kyo's cold, clammy one, and squeezed it softly.

"I'm not sure," he confessed, and Kyo's face fell. "But I know that my heart aches without you." He stamped the ground in an almost childish display of his frustration. "I don't understand it!"

"You should go," Kyo urged them both. "It's dangerous here. If Akito found you, then..." He swallowed. "I won't lose you to Akito. And I won't let him take away what little of you I have left."

"But Kyo-," Yuki started.

"Go!" Kyo raised his voice slightly. He gave Tohru's palm one last kiss, and she withdrew her hand reluctantly. Then, he pulled Yuki's hand close to his cheek and nuzzled it sweetly, leaving the rat-cursed boy's head spinning and his face flushed.

"Be careful," Kyo whispered, and let the hand go. "Now go, quickly!"

"We'll come back, Kyo," Yuki promised, and he took Tohru by the hand and ran.


	13. Bond

You have all given me so much positive encouragement! Thank you so much! I appreciate all the feedback you have for me. Again, even a little review boosts my morale immensely, and I need as much feedback as I can get.

Thanks again, peeps!

-Kat-

* * *

"Yuki-kun," Tohru whispered, cuddling the rat close, "will Kyo-kun ever be free again?" Neither Tohru nor Yuki had slept well in the nights following their visit to Kyo, and the two often found themselves together in one bedroom. Not willing to sacrifice human touch for Yuki's human form, they would embrace and often fall asleep with Yuki's rat form snuggled in the bend of Tohru's neck.

"I don't know," Yuki confessed. "I hope so. He didn't look good when we saw him."

"I hope he's all right," Tohru fretted. Yuki sighed.

"Me too, Tohru-kun." He burried his face against his tiny paws and curled into a ball. "I miss him so much. I feel so...empty without him. And I don't know why!"

"Yuki-kun," Tohru interrupted, sitting up and cupping the rat in her hands. She gazed into his mournful lilac eyes, and stroked his soft head. "I think you're close to finding it out for yourself."

"But I don't know," he cried out, and she sighed.

"How do you feel around Kyo-kun?" she asked, and he answered without hesitation.

"Complete." The word was spoken with such certainty that Yuki's eyes widened at his own bold statement, as though his reaction were involuntary. Tohru smiled sadly at him.

"And how do you feel right now?"

"I..." Yuki felt tears come to his eyes, and they burned. "My heart aches." With a sudden _POOF_, a naked Yuki sat before Tohru with his head buried into his knees. "Tohru-kun, I...I love him, don't I?"

"What do you think?" she asked, pulling a blanket around his shoulders. He let out a sob and rocked back and forth, his heart finally feeling complete, but then breaking all over again.

"I do," he cried, and Tohru kissed his head.

"I know."

* * *

Kyo gripped the bars of his window, waiting for the sun to rise. He nuzzled his cheek against the bar where Yuki's hand had touched, longing for human contact, but especially that of his beloved.

"I see the monster is awake," Akito hissed on the other side of the door, and Kyo sighed.

"What do you want now?" he asked as the door clicked open. He didn't tense when Akito walked and stood behind him, nor when the family head placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, look at that sunrise," he whispered. "Do you enjoy sunrises?"

"...I used to, before you fucking tore out my eye," Kyo snapped. He didn't see Akito smile.

"Well then, I guess you won't need the other one anymore, hm?"

The pain in his left eye was overwhelming. Kyo let out a scream so loud that even Akito flinched, but the family head showed him no mercy; rather, he pushed the blade in further, and Kyo screamed again. The cat-cursed reached up and pulled the offending object from his eye, but it tore the eye from its socket, and blood dripped down his face.

Kyo's vision went dark with blindness, and he reached up to his eye with shaking hands. Upon feeling the now-empty socket, he very nearly fainted, and his head swam with dizziness. He leaned over and threw up violently, still shaking, until there was nothing left, and he was left dry-heaving. Akito chuckled at the miserable sight before him.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you some _manners?_" he spat, burying his foot into Kyo's left side. The boy gave another violent heave, and yellow-green bile dripped from his open mouth. Akito leaned down and yanked violently on his bright orange hair, staring straight into the bloodied eye socket.

"Oh no, I'm sorry," he spoke again. "Your mother _killed herself_, didn't she?" He smirked at the distraught boy, who had grown pale and weak with shock. "Oh, if she could see you now, you fucking pathetic excuse for a Sohma. I pity your mother, that poor woman...she had to give birth to a disgusting creature like you!" He slammed Kyo back onto the ground and kicked him once more for good measure, and then left the boy there.

As he entered the main house, he called down the hallway. "Hatori! You have a patient in the cage."

* * *

"Yuki-kun," Tohru said quietly, knocking on the boy's bedroom door. "Yuki-kun, are you awake?"

"Hai," Yuki responded from behind the door, opening it slowly. "Are you ready to go?" When she nodded enthusiastically, he smiled and took her hand, and they snuck out through the back door. After sneaking around to the front of the house, Yuki pulled out his cell phone and called a taxi. Not five minutes later, they stood before the enormous main house.

"Could you give me a leg up again?" Tohru asked, and Yuki obliged. A moment later, she opened the gate, and they walked quietly and swiftly to the cage.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru whispered loudly. "Kyo-kun?"

"Listen," Yuki said, and when she strained her hearing, she could hear quiet sniffling and sobbing. She locked widened eyes with Yuki, and she gripped the bars tightly.

"Kyo-kun!" she cried. "What's wrong?"

"Tohru-kun," Yuki said, "hug me." She obeyed without question, and after the initial _POOF _of Yuki's transformation, she lifted the little rat through the bars of the cage, and he scurried down to the floor. He sniffed along the damp, dirty stone, and came upon Kyo's limp, near-lifess form.

"Kyo," he whispered, crawing onto Kyo's cold body. "Kyo, it's Yuki! What's wrong?" He transformed suddenly, and Tohru gave him his clothes. He pulled them on quickly and rolled Kyo onto his back.

"Yuki," Kyo said weakly, his voice cracking.

"Kyo, what the hell happened?" Yuki asked. "Here, I'll pull you into the moonlight."

"No, Yuki, don't!" Kyo protested as Yuki pulled him near the window, but it was too late, and Yuki let out a small yelp when he saw Kyo's bandaged face. He kneeled down near the boy and touched his cheek gingerly, tears forming in his eyes.

"Kyo," he choked, and Kyo reached up with a shaking hand to cup Yuki's face. Yuki nuzzled his palm and kissed it soothingly, and Kyo yanked it back as though he'd been burned.

"You shouldn't be here," he said urgently. "If Akito catches you -,"

"Kyo, I don't know what happened to me," Yuki cried, "but I know that Akito did something to tear us apart. Don't make me leave now!" He reached for Kyo's hand again and kissed his fingertips. "I want to remember what I lost with you." Yuki leaned down and kissed Kyo's forehead and cheeks, lips dusting across clammy skin in the most tender gesture Kyo had seen for over a month. Kyo's heart swelled and nearly burst from his chest in joy and sorrow.

"I wish I could have seen you one more time," he wept, and Yuki kissed over where each eye had been. Tohru gasped suddenly when she heard footsteps.

"Yuki-kun! Someone's coming!" she cried. Yuki's head shot up.

"Run, Tohru! Get out of here!"

"But -,"

"GO!" he shouted, and she ran from the cage, shaking in fear, only to crash head-first into Hatori. As she fell, he looked down at her in surprise, and she in turn looked up in equal shock. His gaze softened to one of sadness.

"Tohru-kun," he began, "you know you can't be here. Come, I'll take you home. Where's Yuki?" He helped her to her feet, and she gripped his hand tightly.

"Please, Hatori-san, don't tell Akito!" she begged. "Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes, and Hatori patted her head in understanding.

"They'll be safe until morning. I'll come early to let Yuki out. Now, let's get you home, hm?" He held out an arm, and Tohru held onto him for dear life as they walked to his car. Yuki let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as the pair walked away, and ran his hand through Kyo's hair.

"Did you hear?" he whispered. "We have until morning." Kyo nodded and attempted to sit up, but winced in pain. "No, Kyo, lay back down," Yuki protested, leaning him back. Kyo sighed miserably.

"Why are you here, Yuki?" he asked pointedly, and Yuki jumped.

"I - well, I wanted to see you."

"_Why?_" Kyo pressed.

"I..." Yuki hesitated. "I'm not really sure myself, actually. But I know that I have to be near you. I'm not the same without you." He slowly reached up and ran his hand gently through Kyo's hair, and the cat-cursed boy let out a purr. Yuki smiled sweetly. "I think there's a part of me that..."

"A part of you that what?" Kyo prodded again.

"...Loves you." Yuki noted how Kyo stiffened at his words, and frowned worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"How is it that you torment me without even knowing?" Kyo growled, and Yuki frowned even more.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped, and Kyo turned his head away.

"There are things that happened between you and me...and I can't afford to let them happen again."

"What things?! And why not?!" Yuki yelled in frustration, and Kyo sat up quickly, his lips curled back in a snarl.

"Because I won't let Akito take you away from me again!" he cried. "He hurt us once, and I won't be able to take it if he does it again..." Yuki placed a calming hand on Kyo's shoulder and held onto him tightly, on the verge of tears.

"Kyo," he whispered, "were we close?" When Kyo didn't answer, he let his tears fall, and leaned into Kyo for support. "I knew it...I knew I didn't feel right without you."

"You remembered...?" Kyo gasped.

"Not really, no," Yuki admitted, and Kyo felt his heart tear just a little more. "But I know I need you around. I'm so empty without you." He let out a noise akin to a sob, and his bottom lip trembled. "My heart _misses _you, Kyo. And my brain can't remember why. Don't leave me in the dark."

Kyo sat in stunned silence for a moment, but he wrapped his arms tentatively around Yuki's shoulders and pulled him close. The rat-cursed boy's scent very nearly overwhelmed him, and he relaxed against Yuki. The feeling had been absent for so long that it felt almost foreign, and it unnerved Kyo; but Yuki held his hand and interlaced their fingers, and the warmth he felt reassured him.

"Kyo," Yuki said shyly, "may I kiss you?" At this request, Kyo pulled away, terror pulling at his features. "What's wrong?" Yuki cried, and Kyo grabbed him by the shoulders.

"You can't!" he wept, bloody tears falling down his cheeks. "I won't let you remember!" He let out a strangled cry from the pit of his chest, his heart yearning so much for the offered kiss. "He took you from me, Yuki," he sobbed. "He hurt you, and he took you away. I won't let him take you away from me again. If you remember us..." Kyo pulled away and wiped the bloody trails from his face. "I won't take the chance that you could be hurt again."

Yuki's heart ached and tore, and he slowly crawled up behind Kyo's shaking form. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Kyo's shoulders, resting his cheek against soft orange locks of hair. He nuzzled Kyo's head when his muscles tensed, and ran a hand gently up and down Kyo's arm and shoulder.

"Kyo," he whispered, "I don't feel complete without you. I feel like you're the missing half of my soul. I just want to be whole again." He felt drawn to the soft shell of Kyo's ear, and instinctively pressed a kiss to the top, delighted when Kyo finally relaxed. "I know that there's a part of me that loves you. And each time I see your face, that part of me grows a little bit more." He nuzzled Kyo's cheek and very nearly kissed him, but restrained himself.

"I want to remember how much I loved you. And I want to remember how much _you_ loved me as well. And even if you refuse me, I will never stop wondering." He rested his head against Kyo's neck and held him tightly, his heart and head both throbbing. He loosened his grip when Kyo turned to face him, and wiped away the bloody tears that poured from his empty eye sockets. He smiled sweetly, though he knew Kyo couldn't see, and felt tears stinging his own eyes. Kyo reached up and felt around for Yuki's face, but when he was unsuccessful, Yuki guided his hands. Kyo cupped the pale cheeks of his former lover, memorizing the contours of his feminine cheekbones and slender chin.

"Still so beautiful," he murmured unconsciously, and Yuki blushed at the compliment. Kyo continued his ritual, caressing Yuki's skin almost reverently. He brushed a thumb across full pink lips, causing Yuki to let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Kyo sighed at the soft tickle of warm breath on his fingertip, and he leaned forward until they bumped noses; their lips met in a soft, open-mouthed kiss. Kyo dared to let his tongue brush against Yuki's bottom lip, and Yuki let out a soft mewl of pleasure. They parted for breath a moment later, and Kyo mouthed the words _Love you_ against his love's baby-soft lips. A light dusting of pink graced Yuki's cheeks at the statement, and his eyelids fluttered closed.

"Kyo," he breathed, desire clouding his senses. He let out a small gasp when Kyo trailed kisses and lovenips across his jaw, and down his neck; his face flushed with arousal a moment later as Kyo soothed a spot with gentle swipes of his tongue. Kyo felt his way up to Yuki's collar and undid the first few buttons of his shirt, pulling the cloth apart to reveal smooth, alabaster skin. He paused and ran his fingers across the sloping collarbone and muscles bared to him.

"So perfect," Kyo whispered, leaning down to kiss the sweet flesh. Yuki trembled ever so slightly, but Kyo held him tightly and nuzzled his collarbone. "Don't be afraid, I've got you." He opened the rest of Yuki's shirt and leaned up to kiss his lips again.

"Yuki," he said gently, "do you trust me?"

"...Yes."


End file.
